ショウダウン！＊Showdown!＊
by Wet-Toilet-Roll
Summary: *SKY KING V.S LINK TUNER OF THORN QUEEN* An all-out "brawl" between two boys as they fight over their bespectacled princess! Uhh...although the title seems cheery and all, this story isn't really all that cheerful and stuff. My typing's just like that.
1. Gosh, did you hear about Ringo?

Heyy:D I decided to write yet another Kanon & Ringo fanfic, but this time, I'm adding more spice;D thanks to DF14-BLACK SNOW brilliant suggestion!! XD Thanks for choosing this story to read, and I sincerely hope that this lives up to whatever you are expecting and more~.:D

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Yayoi Nakayama slouched on a wooden desk beside her best friend, Emily Adachi. She sighed as the gravity of the latest gossip in school gripped her heart and pulled it down into cold, icy waters. Emily was down too, her head covered with her arms. They both sighed in perfect unison and looked at each other, afraid to talk about what was going on both their minds.

_I shouldn't have been such a busybody...asking about things that I dread knowing about..._,thought Yayoi to herself as she rubbed her eyes with her palms and tilted her head back. She sneaked a look at the subject of the latest gossip, which was also another one of her best friends, Ringo Noyamano. The pretty girl was concentrating on her homework as usual--_what a assiduous girl. The teacher isn't even here_--and chatting with a female classmate.

Yayoi eyed the girl cautiously. After the girl was done chatting, she hastily returned to her seat where 3 other girls were sitting and discussing something feverishly. Yayoi's glanced at their tables. There were no books or studying materials there--so that must mean that the gossip has already reached the majority of the people.

Ikki(_complete bonehead_, thought Yayoi) swaggered to Emily and Yayoi's table in his daily fashion, but there was something decidedly wrong about it. It was as though daily over-brimming self-confidence was replaced with hesitation. _Something is on his mind..._thought Yayoi to herself. _But that shouldn't be the case...Ikki rarely bothers with gossip._ _But if he really knows about it...I wonder what he would do to get her back..?_ Yayoi nudged Emily's ribs with her elbow quickly, and Emily's head raised to display a void expression, although her feelings were raging inside.

Ikki placed his palms on their table and whispered, "H-hey...I...came to ask you something..." he licked his lips nervously and leaned closer.

Both girls motioned closer towards him as well, spirits rising for the fact that this inconsiderable bastard was going to do something about Ringo after all--

"Is there something going on around class..? Everyone looks so gloomy..." Ikki scratched his head and laughed uneasily.

"..." Emily and Yayoi both flared. _Is he just putting on an act, or is he just plain stupid?!_

"ARE YOU FRICKING RETARDED, HUH, BIRDBRAIN?! Haven't you heard?! Ringo-chan is dating that freak with the guitar case—what's his name...Kanon!! And you?! You don't know about it, or are you just seeing another girl as well?!...what's her name...Kururu-san!" Emily screamed at the top of her voice, veins popping out all over her face. Ikki blinked, taken aback.

"_Shh_, keep_ quiet_, you idiot!! Ringo-chan's just over _there_!!" Yayoi whispered, flustered. Emily covered her mouth in shock and embarrassment.

Ringo was standing stock-still, her eyes widened in shock, her mouth slightly agape with horror and her table ruined with her twitching fingers. All that's left of her desk was the iron frame, which was out of reach. Both Yayoi and Emily grabbed each other and grimaced in horror.

"S-s-sorry, R-Ringo-c-c-chan..!"

A crimson rash spread across Ringo's face and neck. She grabbed her bag and said, "_kyaa_~" in embarrassment while covering her face and jumped out of the classroom's window. Onigiri stared shamelessly at her fluttering skirt, mouth drooling and face distorted with sick thoughts which earned him a high kick from a furious Emily. Kazu rushed to his friend's aid, trying to stem the steady flow of blood, while everyone else in the classroom rushed to see Ringo gliding down the wall and out of the school gate, with another figure dressed in a dark blue layered tee and carrying a black guitar case chasing effortlessly after her.

Ikki stood there, mouth opening and closing like a dying goldfish. He turned and muttered out the one syllable on his mind--"huh?!"

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That's it, for chapter one! Please leave a review on your way out, because if you do, I will know that this story is appreciated by at least someone out there and I will continue to write it. Please give constructive advice, not pointless flames...because even if it's just one person, I will still write it for you~! ^ω^


	2. GET YOUR HANDS OFF HER WAIST!

Back from Osaka! Went strawberry-picking, karaoke with friends over there and dressed up as a 舞妓! Heh heh heh:D Here's chapter two for you:) Thank you for reading my story! Oh yes. There are profanities in the following content, so kids below 13, please refrain from reading.

I'm so responsible. o(*ω*)V

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Ikki grabbed Emily by her collar, causing everybody to squeal in fright. More for Ikki's safety.

"REPEAT YOURSELF AGAIN, BITCH." Numerous veins popped out over Ikki's face, creating a drought-wracked ground effect. In reflex to the insult, Emily punched him in the gut, leaving him gasping for air, slightly hunched over.

The boys in the class gasped in sympathy.

Emily straightened her uniform and jabbed her middle finger in his eye, shouting, "Why should I tell a thick-headed jerk like you?! Back in Kyoto, when Ringo put on the kimono for y--" "Emily!! Keep quiet, that's a secret!!" Yayoi intervened at the last moment, pulling a puffing Emily away by the arm. "Ikki-kun, I think you should just try to figure out what's wrong together...that would be the best..."

Agito raised his head ever so slightly, his right eye glowing venomously and his words laced with menace. "Bird-brain, I think what those bloody noisy people mean is that you should go find it out by yourself by going after her. By doing that, those people will quieten down, you can find out what is going on and I can get my fucking sleep." Finished, his head flopped down onto his desk, earning glances of admiration from a bunch of rabid fan-girls situated two desks away from him.

Ikki pondered for a moment, the information sinking in his brain slower than a stone in sludge. "Oh...yes...yes, you're right, Agito! Well, I'll be going then." Ikki went to his seat, grabbed his bag and sped towards the window. "We'll catch up later! Go for it, Ikki!" Kazu shouted encouragingly, only to Ikki's chagrin. _What's with them?! Why are they behaving like that? Ringo and I, we shouldn't have any problems. It's not like we will have, anyway_...Ikki thought to himself, unsettled.

Agito muttered into his folded arms as he watched the commotion. "Fucking stupid."

_+*~*~*+_

"Hey, Ringo...what's wrong? Why won't you stop?" Kanon called out to her in his melodic voice as usual, and for some reason, instead of it setting her on her nerves like it usually did, it actually calmed her down. She ceased gliding on her ATs and looked around. She was in an area that she wasn't too familiar with-- a lot of shopping and people moving briskly. She felt nervous for a moment and discreetly looked around for Kanon. He was nowhere to be seen.

"Huh?"

Her heartbeats increasing steadily, she raised her head and looked around desperately, her skin coated with a thin sheen of forehead despite the cool weather. Finally, she could not take it anymore and called out loud, swinging wildly, "Kanon! Kanon-kun, where are you?!" A warm hand fitted comfortably into hers and pulled her away from the pulsing mass of people into a warm alley.

Shoulders rising and falling, she looked around in the dim light, her hair tied in two silky bunches swinging around like pendulums. A pair of hands took hold of her face tenderly. "K-K-Kanon?" A word came flowing out alongside a shaky breath. "Yes, Ringo-chan?" Kanon had leaned in as close as he dared to, his lips inches from hers. Ringo actually felt comfortable in such close contact, and the thought of him being her tuner did not matter. It did not even occur to her. Kanon saw no resistance, and was surprised when she closed her eyes, tilting her head slightly. He closed the distance between them slowly.

_Hah._

_Hah._

Kanon paused when his ears picked up short bursts of breath, with an irregular heart rate that belongs to either a person recovering from a sprint or a very agitated person. It sounded like it was a few 10 meters away. Taking no mind, Kanon's lips just about grazed Ringo's, picking up a sweet scent of grapes. Ringo looked up at him, her glasses lopsided, her cheeks crimson even in the dim light and the slightest hint of an otherwise wide smile. He could not resist and asked her softly, while sporting a slightly smug expression, "You used the lip gloss I bought for you? I thought you said you wouldn't use it..?" Ringo opened her mouth to retort when a sudden shout pierced through the atmosphere.

"HEY, RINGO!!"

"Ikki..?! Where are--!!"

Kanon took her in his arms and kissed her soundly and deeply, this time. She withdrew with no anguish in her eyes like the previous time--maybe just surprised at the audacity and slightly scandalized. Kanon smiled at her and himself. _So this is what lip gloss feels like on the lips._

Ikki came speeding down the wall of the building he was facing at an incredible speed. The time it took was barely a breath longer. Kanon was irritated that he had ruined almost everything for him. It always surprised him that Ikki could have so much potential within him unleashed when he was extremely disturbed and upset.

Ikki shot Kanon a look filled with utter venom. So he was not mistaken then, when they were at the hospital. Ikki was not merely suspicious of him--was he jealous, maybe? Or perhaps he was worried that Ringo, the girl he had been around for so long suddenly knows another boy that she is on such familiar terms with that he would know of her intimately, thus meaning that it is impossible that she would only have eyes for one. Well...it is known that Ringo is popular in her school, judging from the things he had heard and seen when he went to pick her up at her school.

"Hey, Ikki-kun. Good to see you all energetic and that. What brings you here?" And with those words, Kanon had served the ball into Ikki's court with a smirk.

:~*~:~*~:~*~:

_I could just freaking kill this fish-eyed musical bastard for taking liberties with Ringo._

Ikki thought to himself, his blood boiling to nearly gaseous states. There were pulsing veins on his clenched fists. He spotted Kanon's hand **still** lodged comfortably on Ringo's svelte waist. If he tells him to stop touching Ringo, it would give off the wrong message, right? But he can't stand the thought of Ringo's school uniform having crinkles that would fit the grooves in only Kanon's hand, too. And indeed, what was he doing here, following the duo through the streets sneakily, covering his steaming face with his bag as people watched on in wonder?

"Just checking up on Ringo." A clumsy hit back in Kanon's court, the ball flying terribly close to the edge of the net.

"Hmm...and may I ask, why is there a need for it?" A strong hit--dangerous, even. Irate, Ikki drew himself up slightly and snapped.

"What I do with Ringo is MY business, so I think I don't have to answer to you." Ikki covered his mouth, his cheeks pink and hot, unable to believe he had actually said that. Well, if you look at the sentence in a different way, it would not really mean anything, but he had meant it the _other_ way. He glanced at Ringo discreetly. Looks like she interpreted it the same way as he did, and so did Kanon. He was raising his eyebrows and not smirking for once.

Ringo was covering her mouth with both hands, her violet eyes widened in shock. "W-w-w-wha--Ik-Ikki...?! I...I..what are you saying?!" She turned to Kanon for some sort of comfort, but remembered the scene earlier where she had allowed him to kiss her. She spun around at a loss. Both Ikki and Kanon then looked at her in unison. Confused, she jumped up, eclipsing the sun, and in the blink of an eye, she was gone.

"Game point." Ikki smirked as he mouthed the words clearly.

"Hmm...well-played, I supposed." Kanon shadowed his rival's expression as he watched the brightness of Ikki's eyes grew. "Looks like the finals have yet to be started."

Ikki watched as Kanon melted into the crowd, vanishing without a trace. He thought worriedly to himself, as confused with himself as Ringo was. Why is he acting this way? "Ringo and I are nothing but bosom friends, right..? I mean, she can't possibly have feelings for me, no way, haha!" Ikki laughed stiffly to himself. Sure, there had been times when he felt uncertain that they were just friends, such as when they were alone and he took care of her, but he subconsciously dismissed those moments as friends merely caring for each other. _Why did I feel so smug when I made Ringo embarrassed?! What's wrong with me?!_ Ikki grabbed tufts of his hair as he racked his brains over the questions. "Ah, I know, I'll ask Kazu and the others for advice! I'm such a genius."

*~*On the top of the building*~*

Kazu smacked his forehead as he spat, "What a freaking IDIOT. Talking to himself is one thing, but deluding himself and falling for it is another!!"

Onigiri nodded wisely as he closed his eyes. "The best way to get to a girl is first, lift up her--OOF"

"Are you a dumb as you look, pig boy?! Don't give such advice to that blockhead, he might end up listening to you and get screwed. Now, he's coming to ask US for advice, eh? I can't wait," Emily cackled as she cracked her knuckles, a vein pulsing at her cheek. "Fancy playing dumb when Ringo-chan is so obvious. Let's help that pathetic loser out!"

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Phew. That's it for chapter two. I think the end is a little weird, just woke up from a nap. Please leave comments on the way out, and thank you for reading this again! o(●ω●)o


	3. I'm not doing so well now, am I?

This is a re-uploaded chapter, I had to make some changes. Sorry if you expected a new chapter, this certainly is not one...but chapter 4 is sure to be up by either tonight or tomorrow (: thank you for reading! Oh, and please, if my stories are too wordy, please, do feedback, I wouldn't want to put you through the torture of reading overly redundant material. Thank you! o()o As always, please remember to review, and your hits are always appreciated!

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"Over here, Ikki!"

Ikki's head snapped up as he heard Kazu holler. The whole gang was there on the rooftops, including Agito. He was really surprised as it was rather out of character for him-

"IKKI-KUN~~~! Nice to meet you~ Hee hee!" an overly-cheery Akito waved spontaneously, jumping on the spot, pure elation flowing out of his every pore.

Ah. He should have known.

"Hey, I was just about to look for you guys!" Ikki sped up the wall swiftly and landed without as much as a _thud_. Akito rushed to his side, nuzzling up Ikki…and was ignored. "Hmm…who to ask for advice…" He glanced at Buccha, who was munching on a cold chicken sandwich contentedly. His gaze swept past a steaming Onigiri to Kazu, who, for some reason, was avoiding his gaze. Akito had grinning from ear to ear. He paused on Yayoi and Emily. Yayoi looked like the most suitable candidate to ask for such advice, seeing as Emily was puffing out smoke and had the grin of the Devil.

"Heeyy…Nakayama, come here for a bit." Ikki tried his best to be discreet about it. Though there was no being discreet in front of his boys. Yayoi motioned towards him, but Emily pulled her back. She had a grin that was rather mismatched with the veins peppered on her face.

"You'd better count me in, you thick-headed fool. It's about Ringo-chan, eh?"

"I'm just concerned about her, that's all! I don't mean anything at all." Protesting, Ikki waved his hands in front of his face repeatedly, earning smirks from Emily, even Yayoi. "Well~ **WE** didn't say anything, did we? Haha, are you starting to realize what a miserable act you are now? You may be the closest to being the King of the Skies, but you sure as hell don't have any hope with being a hit with girls."

The blunt sentence stabbed Ikki in his gut. He really wanted to _punch_ Emily then. This suddenly seemed like a bad idea. Maybe he was overreacting with Ringo. He waved his hand as though he was swatting a fly. "Ah, forget it. I have to go back for detention at 2. See you guys."

An irate hand stretched out and grabbed a tuft of his dark hair. "This is really pissing me off. How can you drag something on for so long? Can't you even see what is happening here? Are you playing dumb, or are you really just stupid?" A now serious Emily screamed, earning a few stares from the people passing by the buildings. "Ca-calm down, Emily! It's not Ikki's fault that he's so stupid!" Yayoi tugged at Emily's arm, and a nonplussed Ikki fell to the cement ground with a hard _thud_. "Yea, Emily, what's with you? Who're you to be so angry?" Standing up and brushing himself off, Ikki glared at Emily, who was no longer doing monkey faces and puffing; just standing stock-still.

All of a sudden, burning, hot and angry tears came flowing down Emily's cheeks. She pushed back her bangs and spoke harshly. "It's Ringo…I really feel sorry for her. I don't understand why she would waste her time over such a fool!"

Yesterday

A slender finger twirled around crimson locks carelessly. Glazed violet eyes stared at the ceiling, and a sigh came flowing out of her lips every now and then. Emily gazed over with concern. It was not like Ringo-chan to get distracted in class, like alone daydream. She has been like that for the past few days, and even a few classmates were asking of her health. The lunch bell rang, and Emily's attention snapped back to Ringo. The redhead was not at her seat! Emily stood up abruptly, catching Yayoi's attention. "What is it?"

"Ringo-chan…where is she?"

"Isn't she by the window, the one at the extreme end?" Yayoi pointed, and Emily followed the direction with her gaze. True enough, Ringo's slender figure could be seen slouching at the window at the end of the classroom. Emily wandered over surreptitiously, glancing over her shoulder. A lone figure stood at the gate, no, sat by the gate. '_It looks like a blonde dude…familiar even…is Ringo seeing a Caucasian?'_ Emily touched Ringo's shoulder gently.

"Ringo-chan, what are you doing? Who is that?"

Ringo smiled slightly at her friend's brashness and spoke softly. "Remember a blonde guy who was always carrying around a guitar case? The one we met during Ikki's birthday?" Acknowledging the vigorous nod, she continued. "He's called Kanon. He's my tuner." Emily proceeded to ask the next question cautiously.

"What is he doing there? Is he waiting for you?"

Ringo closed her eyes, her smile shrinking to a straight set line. "The Sumida River Fireworks Display is coming up, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is. What about it?" Yayoi joined in the conversation, sitting on the nearest desk.

"I had wanted to go and watch it, dressed in a kimono or something, you know? I asked Ikki yesterday, but he said that he was meeting up with that girl, Kururu-san. They were going to shop for the latest parts to meliorate his Regalia." Ringo looked down, fiddling with the hem of her skirt. "When Kanon heard about it, he volunteered to go with me." She looked up, her eyes averted and distant. "I…agreed, because I really wouldn't want to miss it, since it is pretty far from here."

Emily grimaced and exchanged glances with Yayoi. _That…freaking…idiot…_

"Return to your seats, please. We shall begin the lesson now."

A teacher walked in, and silence settled over the class. Everyone shuffled to their seats. Emily and Yayoi moved to their seats, but Ringo tugged on Emily's sleeve.

"Ringo-chan?"

"Hey, Emily, accompany me to the ladies, would you?" Ringo gave her a meek smile, looking up at Emily. She grinned in return, nodding. They asked the teacher to excuse them and walked to the furthest washroom on the level from their classroom. Disconcerted, Emily followed in Ringo's wake.

The washroom was empty, as usual. Ringo strolled to the mirror, gripping the basin beneath it. "She is acting so strangely…what's with her?" Emily wondered to herself.

As if on cue, the girl in subject twirled around to face a stunned Emily. Her cheeks were flushed, and her forehead creased. "E-Emily…a-am I…good-looking?"

"W-wha..?" Emily observed her from head to toe. "If I were a boy, I would-eh-I mean…yes, you are! Why do you ask?"

Tears stung her eyes and she bit her lip. Ringo blurted, "I…I have the feeling that I am not interesting to Ikki. I am aware that you know how I feel for Ikki, right? No matter what I do, it was just as a friend, or as a sister…is a sister supposed to feel like—what am I saying…it's not as if I can expect him to like me, right?" An unsettling giggle escaped from Ringo's lips. "Ah, let's return to class now. I have some homework to do before the cramming session tonight."

Ringo stepped out of the toilet first, followed by Emily. "Ikki is the same to Ringo as Kazu-sama is to me…but what is so attractive about that arse?" she whispered to herself as she looked in the distance. The guy she saw just now, Kanon, was wandering outside their classroom.

Emily did a double take. "FFFUUUU! What's **HE** doing there?"

Ringo has the same expression on her face as she stared flabbergasted at the lanky figure.

Ringo and Emily ran to the blonde, expecting the worse.

"Excuse me for intruding~. Is there a Ringo Noyamano here~?" _What a nice voice_, Emily thought to herself. She hated the sight of him though.

Emily glanced at Ringo. _**Whoa!**_ The girl's face was almost as crimson as her hair. The whole class was staring shamelessly at the subject. She rushed to the entrance and slapped his arm. "What are you doing here?" His face changed from expressionless to a wide smile. "Hey, Ringo-chan~. Where were you?"

"Hey, that's the blonde dude who took Ringo-san's chair the previous time…" some people whispered loudly.

"Is that HER BOYFRIEND?"

"Hey, hey, shut up people! Mind your own business," Emily shouted back. Yayoi nodded vigorously.

"Heehee…no…not boyfriend…yet…" Kanon chuckled at the comment, ruffling his hair shyly. Ringo almost died of embarrassment when she heard him. She shot a look towards her clique. Kazu, Onigiri and Buccha were staring at Kanon and Ringo with different expressions. Onigiri had a particularly disturbing look. Ikki, however, was just…staring.

"I'm so sorry, teacher!" Ringo bowed down, obscuring her reddened face with her hair. "I will-"

"Ka…ka-ka…eh… what are you doing here?" Ikki called from his seat, a dumb look plastered on his face. "Ringo's seat isn't for the taking. We had to pay for it!"

"Oh, not this time, no. I will be taking Ringo-chan herself."

"Oh, that's good. I won't have to pay for anything then. Be my guest."

"…"

Silence reverberated off the walls, settling down on the entire class like goo of doom. Even the teacher was overwhelmed.

"You bastard, Ikki, how could you just say that?"

"That Itsuki is such an asshole…I never did like him…"

"He's sooo mean to Ringo-chan!"

"Minami, how could you disrespect your friend like that?"

"LEMME WHACK THAT BASTARD!"

"NOOOO EMILY-"

"Where's Ringo?"

*mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm*

_Huff…huff…huff…_

"Stop, Kanon, stop, stop! What are you doing…? Pulling me away like that…" Ringo tossed her hair, sweat running down her neck as she was not wearing her Air Treks. Kanon whistled a mellow tune as he turned away from her. "Ikki-kun said that I could take you away~." She looked at his guitar case, but it held too many memories, so she concentrated on his black shirt. He was not wearing a layered tee for once…

"What made you think like that?" He asked her abruptly, without turning around.

"What made me think like what?" She replied without hesitation, her defense mechanism working automatically. _Darnit_, she thought to herself. _He knows me like an open book. That's why I hate going near him._

"I think you're perfect enough for me~" He turned around, smiling sweetly. "W-what? S-Shut up!" Ringo shouted to mask the embarrassment leaking from her face. "Stop reading me!" She covered his ears with her hands, frowning. Then she shifted them to his eyes because they were boring into her. She finally used one hand to loosely cover his eyes and his left ear.

Ringo stared at his grin. Her forehead was creased as she stared at it intently. It was like he was still reading her, even without his eyes and left ear. She _knows_. "I knew it. It's Ikki-kun, as usual, right? Really, Ringo-chan, I don't need to be your tuner to figure that one out~."

"…" Ringo wanted to clench her fists or pull on the edge of her school blouse so badly, but she felt obliged to keep her hands where they were.

Kanon's hands moved to where Ringo's were, and pulled them away tenderly. Remarkably, Ringo had no qualms about him touching her, like she would normally. "Would you grant your poor tuner a wish and follow him to a beautiful place?" He then walked over to a bench near them. Plunging his hand into the healthy bush beside it, he squinted as he foraged for , Ringo stared on in wonder.

"Taa-daa~ Your ATs~! I brought you here to pick them up." Kanon held out a baby blue sports bag that she used when she was in junior high. He smiled brightly and presented them to her.

"YOU PUT MY ATs IN AN UNATTENDED, PUBLIC AND COMMONLY FREQUENTED PLACE?" Ringo screeched in disbelief. Kanon winced as he closed his eyes apologetically. "The bush was healthy and inconspicuous, so I thought…" Ringo huffed in exasperation. "How could you do such a thing? You are a tuner, you should be more mindful of such things…" Kanon smiled blissfully and said, "I was so excited at the thought of coming over to see you…"

"You—…" Ringo turned to face him and saw his goofy smile. Suppressing her giggles, Ringo took the bag from his hands, pretending to be cross. "Since when did you learn to talk like that?" She felt something touching her right leg and looked down. Kanon was holding her calf with one hand and her AT in another. "Come on, Ringo-chan, we don't have all day."

*wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww*

When she had both of her ATs on, Kanon led her to a large rooftop garden. The garden was artfully furnished and the plants were placed strategically, so when the Sun rose or set, the glare would not shine directly on any visitors.

"Aren't we trespassing? Kanon-kun, I think we'd better go." Ringo whispered as though there were people watching them from the trees. Kanon smiled the seventh time since she met him. "This is a building owned by my uncle. It's okay. It's after hours, anyway. We can stay here for as long as we like." He then proceeded to pull her to bench under a canopy. It was facing the setting Sun.

"Ohh…my…it's beautiful…" Ringo breathed as she savored the arresting sight before her. The buildings illuminated by the rays look like blocks of vermillion colored gold. The sky was like a canvas of colors; the blue of the sky was not completely gone, forming a translucent purple when combined with the orange rays. Orange Cirrus Fibratus clouds stretched across the horizon, giving the impression of a flame-colored field.

"Kanon-kun…I…"

_RING…RING…_

"…!" Ringo's cell phone rang loudly from her bag. '_Thank gods…what was I doing?_' Digging into her school bag, she pulled out her wailing cell phone.

"着信コール" (incoming call)

"イッキ"(Ikki)

Ringo's body tensed. She looked at Kanon, but was unable to see his face for he looked to his left.

_Ring…_

_Ring…_

_Ring…_

Ringo stared at the now silent cell phone sitting in the middle of her palm.

"Ikki," Ringo mumbled as she gripped her cell phone loosely. Kanon turned to her, looking at her with an indistinct expression. His eyes widened when he saw that her glazed eyes were glistening. He wiped away a tear before it could roll down her cheek. She blinked, eyes focused. Tears now fell from her cheek like a necklace of broken glass beads.

"Eh..? What..." Ringo wiped her tears away, bewildered that she was crying. Kanon's hands were now brushing those tears away, desperately. His breath become jagged, his brow furrowed. Ringo stared at him in astonishment.

"K-Kanon-kun, why are you doing this?" Ringo asked as he became more desperate, becoming slightly rougher, as though her tears were causing him mortal injury and he was stemming the wound.

True enough, they hurt him deeply. Each new tear that appeared from those pristine violet eyes was like a blunt object prodding him in his chest.

"Ringo…don't cry…please…" Kanon held her face, his head sinking down. The sun gave a bright burst of light, and Ringo saw drops rolling down his own face. He shut his eyes tightly and bit his bottom lip. "Kanon..! What's wrong?" Alarmed, Ringo gripped his shoulders. Kanon pulled Ringo into a tight embrace, almost crushing her. She, however, found comfort in that.

They remained like that for what seems like eternity. The winds blew through the trees and plants like a lover's whisper. Ringo sighed, breathing in Kanon's scent. He smelled like apples, leather and sports wash. He stroked her hair tenderly, and kissed her forehead.

"How do you manage this..? You know that I would always reject you, but still you…" Ringo whispered into his ear, and he embraced her tighter. He replied, "I'm certainly not managing well now, am I?" His voice dropped to gravelly tones, and the usual tone in his voice was gone, as though it had never existed. "Aren't you the same, Ringo? You pine for Ikki even though he is so far away from your reach. Can't you give anybody else a chance? Don't tell me it's impossible between us."

Ringo buried her face in Kanon's neck, her tears wetting him. She clung onto him as if for dear life. "I don't know…he has known me for so many years, but every time a new girl walks into his life, she would rank above me…like Simca…or Kururu-san," her voice cracked. Sobbing her heart out now, Ringo drew her knees up to the bench, where she hung onto Kanon's neck.

"What do you see in me, Kanon?"

He could not hold back any longer. Instead of the hesitant peck he would always give her, this time, he pressed his lips onto hers. She responded passionately, something that caught Kanon in surprise. He wrapped his arms around her svelte waist carefully, but handled his part of the kiss roughly. This being their first time at this, they were inexperienced and clumsy, but made up for it with vehemence. Strangely enough, they responded to each others' touches as though they were one.

He could feel her heartbeats accelerating, and her breathing heavy as he caressed her, but he was so, _so_ afraid that she would, in a moment of ecstasy, breathe out her beloved crow's name. As his lips brushed across her neck, she breathed in, and he knew that she was going to shout the name he would never want to hear all for the rest of his life, so long as it came from her lips.

"…_Kanon_ …"

"…wha—"

He was so surprised that he actually ceased all activity. Ringo, now lying on the bench, opened her eyes, her lips parted. Her face turned to the most vibrant red he had ever seen, and her heartbeats increased so much all of a sudden that he was alarmed. She rolled out under him, coming dangerously close to the edge of the rooftop garden. He held out his hand in her direction and then realized the fact that it was already night.

"Uhmm…I…" Ringo was back on the bench, on the farthest part away from Kanon as possible. She fanned her crumpled, white, school blouse which was slightly peppered with sweat. Her skirt was folded in many wrong areas, and she tried in vain to iron them out with her hands. "You could always say that we had a tuning session," spoke Kanon into the warm summer night air as he tilted his head back, grinning. Ringo giggled and immediately regretted it, for she was trying to make it seem like his fault for holding her till night. Now, Mikan-nee would kill her for not preparing dinner.

"I have to go now, Kanon-kun," Ringo said as she looked straight into his eyes. Inching closer shyly, she embraced his neck and gave him a lingering kiss. An indiscernible blush appeared on his face. "See you." Quiet as a wind, she got up and took all of her belongings. She turned and gave Kanon a smile before falling off the edge of the building.

Kanon knew better than to check; he was confident that she would ride the wind to her sisters' arms where she would be safest. He hoisted his tuning tool onto his shoulder and stretched. The night sky was as adorned with millions of the most pristine of jewels. "Ah, you can almost hear the stars singing~." He was preparing to glide down the building when he remembered something. Earlier, when they were sharing that intimate moment, he had noticed that she was getting out of touch. Her body was not as in sync as it should be with her Air Treks. "Perhaps we really need a tuning session…ah, and right when I've gotten out of touch as well…it has been so long since we had one."

Ringo skidded to a stop neatly, and she opened the door apprehensively. Soundlessly, she took off her ATs and placed her shoes neatly beside the others. Gathering up some courage, she called out as she walked to the living room. "I'm home. `W-What is…going on?"

Mikan, Ume and Ikki were lying around in different, various positions around the house. The fan that they used for the living room was in pieces, its four plastic blades broken cleanly off the rotating core. The metal cage for the fan was in Ikki's hand, and upon closer observation, he was covered in bumps, cuts and bruises.

"Ringo…is that you..?" Mikan growled from the floor, a noxious aura radiating from her. She stretched her twitching fingers out and hoisted herself off the floor. "You-where have you been? Why isn't dinner ready?" Ume whined from her spot and said, "I was looking forward to dinner today…Rika-nee even bought 3-inch steaks…" Ringo bowed slightly and apologized. "I'm sorry, I was held up. Do you want me to cook dinner for you now?" Ume nodded vigorously, smiling, but Mikan sighed and sat up. "Okay, how about we go to our favorite restaurant? I got a bonus today~." Ringo and Ume hugged each other, dancing, and Ikki, revived from the dead, roared and sped up to change his clothes. Ringo and Ume followed in suit, while Mikan went off to get her money.

Ringo entered her room and switched on the lights. Taking out a dark blue, long-sleeved, bare-back blouse and a pair of hot pants, she placed them on her chair after removing the hangers. She was just undoing her third button chest down when Ikki burst into her room. Instinctively, she threw the blouse at him, and it enveloped his head. Redoing her buttons clumsily, she removed the blouse off an extremely dazed Ikki.

"What…? Ringo, what was that for?" A now irate Ikki got off the ground and snapped at Ringo. She glared back at him and replied, "Haven't you heard of knocking? Sheesh! I was changing!" Ikki stared at her and mumbled, "Oh." An awkward silence settled on them like condiments in a drink. "So…what can I help you with?" asked Ringo brightly. Ikki scratched his wild shock of black-blue hair carelessly, pondering over something. "Where were you just now? I tried calling you using my new phone, but you didn't answer…I was so worried." Ringo swallowed and turned around, angry at Ikki for no reason. "I was busy doing something…I don't think I had given you much cause to worry. So, don't."

"I…" Ikki stuttered, at a loss for words when faced with a cold Ringo. She changed behind her curtain seeing as Ikki was frozen on the spot. "Let's go, Ikki, Mikan-nee's waiting." She then turned on her heel and walked out of her room briskly.

"W-Wait…Ringo..! Wait!" Ikki ran to her back and pulled her arm. "What's wrong with you? Why are you so distant—"

Ringo closed her eyes, as though it was painful for her. It was, of course. Ikki had an ability she could never quite fathom; and that was to amplify her current emotions so strongly that it would be overwhelming.

"Hey, Ikki, remember the Gion Matsuri? It is coming up soon, aren't you going to watch it?" Ringo carried her words with a tone that conflicted with her expression. Ikki shook his head, looking up at the ceiling as if remembering something. "I…oh yeah, I am going with Sumeragi to the AT shop that Simca used to work at. She said that some new parts were released, and they would help to boost my speed and maintain my balance while at it. She said that they were expensive, so we were going to split up the price between us!" He smiled brightly, like a child talking about his favorite toy. "But the thing is that she would always be the one paying the most! So I don't really have to worry, hee hee…"

Her heart thudded against her chest, but Ringo would not let it show. She would not want to ruin the moment for him. She smiled a little forcefully, saying, "Ha ha, that's so bad, Ikki. You shouldn't make a girl pay for such things." _Especially her._

Ikki grinned boyishly at her, and then he stopped. He pulled her close and hugged her tightly. Completely taken aback, Ringo just went limp in his arms, hers hanging by her sides. "I was really, really, really worried about you, Ringo. I even went around looking for you in your favorite and commonly frequented spots, but you were nowhere to be seen. I thought you were kidnapped or something," Ikki said softly as he hugged her tighter. "I just need to make sure you're here. I have been feeling weird since this morning…" Blinking in surprise, Ringo opened her mouth to speak, but she had nothing to say. Ikki pulled back and she remained motionless. "Man, I should stay off those soft drinks; they always make me feel weird. I even hugged Kazu just now, like I did with you! Isn't it just downright wrong? I mean, going around and hugging people. Ha ha!"

Ikki was laughing when Ringo shoved his chest with all her might. He almost flew across the room. He crashed into her bed, fortunately. Ringo's face was burning and the tears were almost breaking through, but she did not like to cry in front of Ikki, so she would not. Wordlessly, she ran down the stairs, leaving Ikki stunned on her bed.

And the thing that irritated her most was that she knew that he would have no idea what was going on in her head, instead thinking that she was just throwing some stupid little tantrum.

"I really don't know what I see in him." Ringo muttered savagely to herself as she pulled on her shoes with unnecessary force.

=-継続する-=


	4. Oh, darn, my goldfish

Chapter 4! :DDDDD

Thanks for lasting all this way! Please be generous with the reviews and feedback! And please tell me if it is excruciating to read my stories…I'm always so paranoid… ._.

* * *

"So…you were saying…that Ringo got bad grades at school and ran away from home?" Mikan observed her nails with a passive expression. Ikki nodded repeatedly, his expression that of extreme passiveness, when he was actually steeling himself for a blow across his face. Mikan grinned deviously, slammed her fist on the low table and leaned closer to Ikki. "Ringo…ran away from home, eh, Itsuki? So when she didn't come to the restaurant, it was because of her bad grades. I see, I see." She nodded, eyes closed.

Ringo had left the house by the time Ikki had recovered from her blow, and not only that—she did not even meet Mikan and Ume at their favourite restaurant. The duo of sisters had given both Ringo and Ikki one night before they started doling out the pain. Since Ringo was not present, that meant that Ikki had to take her share of the torture.

Phase one was currently being carried out; interrogation. Mikan took charge of the asking of questions, and Ume was to be the one serving out punishments today. Ikki thanked the heavens for "_such a stroke of luck!_" But by the looks of it, it seemed that Mikan wants a bit of the action too. In fact, Ume deserted him when she saw Mikan come home.

A drop of sweat rolled down Ikki's face, and he wiped it off before Mikan could see it. He could not keep up this act, but he could not tell them why Ringo left either. Mikan stood up and breathed out through her nose.

"Fuuuuuu…"

"Eh…Mikan I just remembered something…BUUUUAAARRRRGGGHHH!" Ikki looked up in time just to see a fist connect with his nose. His vision went blurry as the reality before his eyes fluttered in and out of focus. Mikan danced a jig, waving her fist. She shouted, "That feels frigging good! It's been ages since I slugged you!" "G-good," mumbled Ikki, trying to stem the blood flowing from his nose. Ume suddenly came running from the kitchen.

"Mikan-nee, I'm going out with my friends today…I won't be back be 7.30pm."

"WHAT—? WHO'S GOING TO COOK DINNER FOR ME, THEN?" Mikan shouted at Ume, who ignored her. Ume turned and replied, "Mikan-nee, it's Saturday, who's staying home today?" Ikki's ears pricked up. "Oh. Oh. Shit. Sumeragi." He ran upstairs to gather his things and ran out of the house before Mikan could even reply Ume. "W-what…even that stupid bastard is gone! How are we going to find Ringo now?"

*p*q*b*d*l*b*d*p*q*

Ikki ran to the park with the swings where he and Kururu would hang out. She had said that she'd be there first thing in the morning, and true enough, she was waiting by the swing. Ikki ran up to her.

"Ah, Sumeragi, sorry for making you wait! I was…uh…held up." He had a feeling that things wouldn't go well if he said that he forgot. Kururu smiled at him and got off the swing. "No worries, Ikki-kun." They walked together towards the mall where the AT shop was situated. "Say, Ikki-kun, after we shop for the parts…would you like to…eh…go to the Gion Matsuri?" Kururu's face was a red as a beet when she was finished. Ikki crossed his hands behind his head and replied almost nonchalantly, "Huh….sure, why not?" Almost as if she could not believe what she was hearing, Kururu's eyes widened dramatically. "Oh, uh, thank you! Then let's hurry up with the shopping!" Smiling widely, she quickened her pace in the bright afternoon sun.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o

"Kanon…wh-where're you taking me?" Ringo looked around her. Kanon had brought her to Kyoto. She looked around her in wonder. The streets were filled with yakiniku stores, traditional sweets shops and other quaint wonders. She let herself be dragged in and out of stores, her eyes catching every detail of the beautiful shops. Just when she was about to scold Kanon for pulling her away from all those eye-catching trinkets at the previous store, he stopped in front of a dreary little shop. It had blacked-out windows and a varnished wooden door with a window. The inside view of the shop was blocked by a lacy curtain. There was no signboard.

"What is this place, Kanon?" Ringo looked at him quizzically. He gave her a bright smile and pushed open the door.

A warm golden light flooded the room with ample light. It was soft on the eyes, and illuminated the space without being too glaring to the eyes. The floor was covered with carpets of Persian (?) origin. There was a varnished dark teak table in the middle of the shop on one of the carpets. A bouquet of red roses in a translucent porcelain vase brightened it up. Ringo looked around at the teak closets. Through glass panels, she could see oriental designs on fabrics of many colours. At the back of the shop, doors leading to dressing rooms and a private room were decorated with various signs. Kanon closed the door and a bell rang resonantly. He let Ringo drink in the other beautiful features of the shop. An elegantly dressed woman around her forties came out from the private room.

"Welcome! I have been expecting you, Kanon." She smiled dignifiedly. Kanon bowed his head slightly and motioned towards Ringo. "This is Ringo. We're here for the fitting." Ringo looked at Kanon, then to the woman. "It is a pleasure to meet you. This is a magnificent shop, Madam." The woman accepted the compliment with a gracious nod. She extended her hand towards a dressing room. "Please, Ringo-san, a surprise awaits you in the second room from the left. I'll be in shortly to help you put it on." Ringo glanced back to Kanon, an apprehensive smile of sorts stretching her face. All she received was an enigmatic expression on a face that was habitually adorned with the brightest of smiles.

"Darn you Kanon, how atypical of you. Ever since when did my link tuner start with this cloak and dagger stuff?" taunted Ringo, her eyes dangerous and alluring. Kanon was almost thrown off his poker face act. "Just go in, Ringo-chan." Aggravated that the results she got was far from her expected outcome, she set her cobalt sling bag down on a prim wooden chair that looked like it was set there more for decorative purposes than functionality.

*-popopopopopopopopopop-*

The dressing room was decorated rather tastefully as well. It was a lot bigger than regular ones. She could do a full split at any direction she faced if she was standing in the middle, with enough space for another person to stand. She turned to the right and gasped in utter admiration for the _kimono_ hung at the clothes rack. It was of a deep violet colour, and lilac peonies with embossed gold lining decorated the cloth sparsely. Long viridian leaves complimented the peonies artfully, and the lightest sprays of navy blue added a splash of solemnity to the elegant display of colours. The hem of the sleeves of the kimono was given an exuberant burst of colours. Little ivory clusters of Sakura flowers with a vibrant drop of fuchsia in the middle lightened up the dark purple setting. The tomoeri of the kimono was a darker purple embellished with gold threads and the trim was a hazy mauve.

Holding her breath unconsciously, Ringo ran her slim fingers carefully over the luxurious material. This kimono was more precious than the one she had on when she paraded so hopefully for Ikki. Snapping out of her stupor, she put on the cotton kimono shift; the bottom layer that is needed protect the kimono from any perspiration. The lady that managed the shop knocked lightly on the dressing room's door.

"Ringo-san, are you ready?" her voice drifted in evenly. Ringo answered that she was, and unlocked the door. Kanon, out of mischief, wanted to run in to peek on Ringo changing, but decided against it. The lady, laden with other accessories in her arms, entered the room. _'So that's why this room is so big; she helps her customer put the kimono on.' _

Ringo stretched her arms out as the lady did her job proficiently. The woman's elegant fingers bundled a large amount of Ringo's scarlet hair into a bun and fastened it down with a number of bobby pins and hairclips. Taking the remainder of the long hair on her head, the lady twisted it around the bun to hide the clips and tucked it into the bun. A heavy gold hair accessory with intricate line work, precious stones and a gem hanging from it was stuck into the bun charily. A giant realistic-looking pale purple peony was fastened onto the right side of her head.

The lady then proceeded to help Ringo into the kimono. It was then held together with a plum coloured Obi with two thick black bands and a posy of delicate flower motifs extending out from the left. It was tied with a Bara musibi knot, and quaint Obidome in the shape of a duo of gold peonies was fastened onto the black Obijime. Lastly, she slipped white Tabi socks onto Ringo's feet and finished with a pair of black Okobos. A dainty handbag made with the same material of her kimono with an aquamarine clasp was pushed into her hands.

Smiling placidly at Ringo, who looked rather dazed with the speed at the lady worked at, she unlocked the door and pushed Ringo out gently. Kanon had been sitting on an armchair faced directly to the dressing rooms with his hands clasped in front of his face, his elbows on his knees and his brow furrowed in slight impatience. When Ringo stepped out, his breath cut short in awe of her beauty. He coughed, choking, and stood up hurriedly. Ringo blinked twice and regained her composure. She looked for a mirror and rushed to it. When she stood in front of the humble mirror, she gasped in absolute delight. Never has she looked so elegant in any attire, and the colours on her kimono were a palette that filled the colours in of an otherworldly masterpiece.

Twirling around on the spot, she stopped at Kanon. He was ogling her unconsciously. "Kanon, I…I don't know what to say…thank you so much! This is just…beautiful." She ran to Kanon awkwardly and hugged him. Dazedly, he hugged her back, the peony's petals on her head poking him in the eye. "You look absolutely breathtaking, Ringo. Chan." The lady smiled at the evocative scene before her, thinking back to her days where she was the talk of her school. Shaking her head lightly, she clapped her hands smartly and separated Kanon from Ringo. Both let go rather reluctantly, and the latter, realizing her actions, held her right hand with her left and looked down shyly.

"I have to get Kanon into his, Ringo-san. Please leave him with me for awhile." The lady smiled covertly at Kanon. Ringo waved her hands and stammered, "I-It's not like I need him as a sort of sustenance, so by all means, go on!" Kanon looked at the lady, crestfallen. When the duo entered the dressing room, Ringo sat down on the same armchair that was previously used by him. Staidly, she looked around the place once more. Her mind wandered, and various things ran through her mind, from her sisters, to her upcoming exams, to what she was going to buy at the food stalls at the Gion Matsuri and abruptly, they ended at Ikki. She shook her so furiously that the peony trembled violently, threatening to fall off and ruin her hairdo. "Again, thinking of that stupid idiot! No, no, no, no!" Her chest rose dramatically as she inhaled in short gasps of air. This will not do. She has her heart set on the idea that she must at least give Kanon a chance; her happiness was at stake here. Calming down, she gripped the sides of the armchair. Tilting her head back, she breathed in through her nose, closing her eyes. Her mind drifted lazily to an incident when Ikki was standing over her in the exact same position and frightened her by making a horrendous face that normal humans are incapable of doing. Unconsciously, a tender smile appeared on her face. Then she opened her eyes, aware of what she was doing.

"This will not do." Ringo stood up, blinking away the remnants of a happy dream. She must get her mind off him, and the easiest way to do so was to immerse herself in some sort of activity. She got up and paced around awkwardly around in her Okobos. She muttered almost feverishly to herself, "When is Kanon going to come out of that infernal dressing room? What will he look like? Oh, listen to yourself, Noyamano Ringo, what do you sound like? A stupid teenage girl filled with raging hormones! Oh, wait, that's what I am. I wonder how Ikki would look—ah! No. Damn, this isn't going anywhere. Should I just go ahead by myself? No, Kanon is still inside…" At the slightest sound of the door's lock jiggling, Ringo ran to her armchair. She brushed up a few stray strands of her carmine hair and folded her hands onto her lap.

Ringo stared, mouth agape at the sight in front of her. Kanon; with his flaxen hipster hairdo, glossy black guitar case peppered with various emblems and stickers from popular AT groups and brands on his back and a bright, childish grin stretching his face, was dressed in a plain navy blue yukata with a dark blue obi, and his feet were in geta with black straps. He did look very dashing, in a certain mismatched way, but this was a sight that anyone who knew him would pay to see. Kanon's smile shrunk a few molars when he saw Ringo laughing at him. Flushing furiously, he muttered something about payment to the lady and pulled Ringo out of the shop. Tethering on her Okobos again, Ringo bowed to the lady of the shop. The sky was a dripping canvas of deep blue, mauve and vermillion.

O.o

"Alright, we're finished! Thank you, Ikki-kun, for waiting so patiently!" Kururu piped excitedly, overjoyed at the prospect of going to a summer festival with Ikki. She cleaned the machine grease off her hands with a rough rug and placed Ikki's ATs beside his feet, keeping the tools strewn around on the table. Ikki grinned at Kururu in anticipation. He slid his feet into them and stood up slowly. The wheels below him whirred into action with a particularly pleasing sound. He tested the new alterations of his Air Treks by gliding up the wall, over the ceiling and back in the exact spot which he had started. It barely took him 4 seconds.

"Wow, this is amazing! It feels like the really are wings on my ATs, the time it takes to start them up were cut back by at least 3 milliseconds. You're amazing, Sumeragi!" Ikki ruffled his already messy hair and looked at her, wide-eyed. Kururu blushed, pleased at the compliment. She looked at the clock on Ikki's wall and stood up, aghast. "Ikki-kun, we have to go to the Gion Matsuri now! There isn't much time left before they start setting up stalls." She ran down the stairs in a flash with Ikki stumbling after her. He vaguely remembered Ringo saying something about 'a festival'…oh, it's gone. He shrugged and ran after Kururu's rapidly shrinking back view.

oOoOo

(I think you know what's going to happen, because it's soo predictable.)

Ikki and Kururu were squatting in front of a 'pond' at a goldfish scooping game stall. A drop of sweat travelled rapidly down the curves of his face and gathered at his chin. Breathing out slowly, he lifted his arm swiftly. Appalled was the expression his face so marvellously displayed as the diminutive, rotund plastic fish on the net rolled off pathetically and dropped back into the water without so much as a 'plop'. "DAMN YOU, YOU ACCURSED GOLDFISH! STAY WHERE YOU ARE, YOU MALEVOLENT CREATURE!" Ikki screamed at the bobbing plastic fishes in a large, blue shallow container of water. Kururu knuckled her temples, distressed. "This is impossible to win…the fish are too tricky…" A small crowd had gathered at the sides of the duo, watching on with great interest.

"Alright," whispered Ikki, staring at the tiny fishing net he held. "This is the last try." Scrupulously, he dipped the small, round and flat net into the water and under a small, blue plastic fish. Laboriously, he lifted the net as slowly as his arm muscles allowed without too much tension.

"Yes, yes…that's it, don't fall off, blue fish, don't fall off…" whispered Kururu, peeking through her fingers. A person behind Ikki bumped into him accidently when the area became exceptionally congested abruptly. Ikki and Kururu along with the people watching watched on helplessly as the fish rolled around the hot pink plastic rim of the fishing net, then fell off and joined its comrades back in the blue plastic tank filled with discarded water that came from melted ice. The duo screamed in anguish and turned to the perpetrator of this heinous crime.

"Aha, and then, and then…he just slipped and fell right on it! On the thing he was telling them about!" Kanon's eyes shone brightly as the light bulbs hung around the signs of the stalls. Ringo laughed, throwing her head back, with her arm hooked around his. Kanon made his storytelling livelier by making wild gestures with his hands. Both he and Ringo were blissfully unaware that they had knocked into the last couple they would want to meet.

* * *

Yaaaayy! You made it to the end of Chapter 4! Alright, the next chapter will most probably be the last…so, anyone interested in giving me ideas on how to end this? Really, I need some suggestions desperately, because if this goes on according to me, Kanon will win hands down, and it'll be boring, and I'll get a number of flames telling me that I should end my life or something. ):

No, really, I need some suggestions. And I really will write the story according to what you guys want. Please, if you do have a few on your mind, please send me a message or give me a review! Oh, yeah, do leave a review on your way out too, if it isn't too much trouble. ^^ As always, you are awesome for reading this story all the way Feedback and nice reviews are always welcome! Give me love! 君たちが好き！

Oh…just being curious here…but who wants to see me draw Ringo in her kimono and Kanon in his yukata? I can't say that I draw very well, but I can certainly try (: No colouring, though, I'm too poor for photoshop.

Oh, if you want to but you're too lazy to leave a review or a pm, I WILL draw Ringo, at the very least. Depends.

Once again, thanks for reading. \(OuO)/


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